Single-digit highs in March are rare

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Monday’s normal high was about 40 degrees, but we were nowhere near that. Highs stayed in the single digits in most of the area, which would be cold for January let alone early March!

The last time Cedar Rapids failed to hit 10 degrees in March was 2014, when the high was 2 degrees on the 2nd. That is also the coldest March high temperature on record. Four other years had single-digit highs in March: 1962, 1948, 1943, and 1899. Three of those years had a high of 9, so they barely made the cut! Subzero lows, on the other hand, aren’t unheard of. Through 2018, there have been 57 days with a low colder than zero after March 1 – about once every other year.

Dubuque’s last March high colder than 10 was also March 2, 2014 with a high of 3 degrees. Seven other years had a March high colder than 10: 2003, 1962, 1943, 1932, 1901, 1900, and 1899.

Iowa City managed to hit 11 degrees on Monday. The last time Iowa City had a high colder than 10 in March was March 2, 2014, with 3 degrees. The only other occurrence was in 1962.

Waterloo did something this year that it’s done only once before: have two days with highs in the single digits in a single March. Before Sunday, the last high colder than 10 was March 2, 2014 with a high of -1. That’s also the only subzero high in March on record there. Other years with single-digit highs are 2002, 1962, 1948 (twice), 1943, 1932, 1900, and 1899.

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